Switch-throwing device.



10.800,396. PATENTED SEPT. '26. 1905.

R. RAHISER, J. G. GUNINGHAM.& F. B.HALL.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE;

AEPLIOATION FILED JUNE 10,1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH RAHISEE, JAMES e. CUNINGHAM, 'AND FRANKLIN BL HALL, oE

EvANS CITY, PENNSYLVANIA. v

swlTcH-THRowING. DEVICE.

following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inSwitch-Throwing Devices; vand the invention has for its object theprovision of novel means for automatically throwing the switch.

' To this end we havedevisedaswitch-throwing device adapted to beautomatically actuated bya car passing over a rail adjacent totheswitch. We have also provided novel means whereby the switch can bemanually operated and retained in its shifted or adjusted position.

Our improved switch-throwing device is particularly adapted forsteam-railways; but we do not care to confine the use of the devicealone to this type of railways, as the same can be readily used inconnection with electric railways and such railways vWhere switches areemployed.

With the above and other objectsin view the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,` which willbe hereinafter more fully described and thenY specifically pointed outin the claims, and, referring to the drawings accompanying thisapplication, like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, in whichf Figure 1 is a top plan view of asection of track intersected `by a siding-track illustrating ourimproved switch-throwingdevice used in connection therewith.` Fig. 2' isa detail perspective view of a portion of the device. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of an operatinglever. Fig.` 4 is a similar View of alock-releasing lever. AFig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of thedevice illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings,`and1Fig. 6 is an enlargeddetail sectional view of a portion of the automatic switch-throwingmechanism.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application met June 10,1905. sentito.264,727.

In the accompanying drawings we have Patented Sept. 26, 1.905.

illustrated main'rails 1 1 and siding-rails 2 and 3, which are supportedupon suitable ties 4, 4the portion ofthe main rail 1 that is designated5` and a portion of the siding-rail 2 serving as switch tongues, thetongue proper in each instance being designated 6.

l The tongues are pivotally mounted, as indicated at 7, whereby they canbe readily swung or actuated by our improved switchthiowing device. Uponone side of the main track, preferably at the point the siding-l trackintersects the main track, we provide a casing 8, in whichis pivotallymountedabellcrank lever 9. The one arm of said lever is connected'to ar'od 10,' that extends through an opening 11, formed in the mainl rail1, and is connected to the switch-tongues 6 6, as indi'cated at 12 12.In connection with the rod 10 we employ anothery rod 14 to further braceand retain the tongues 6 6 in their proper relative positions. Somedistance down the track we mountanother casing 15, and in said casing ispivotally mounted an operating-lever 16, which is connected by a rod,cable, or`ch'ain'1-7v to the bell-crank lever 9. In'order to prevent theoperating-lever y-16 from wabbling or moving sidewise, we

provide the casing with longitudinally-disposed ribs 18, and wevpreferably mount the operating-lever between said ribs. The casing 15 isprovidedwith a compartment 19, that is' preferably constructed beneaththe casing 15, said compartment being positioned between two -of 'the'ties. 4, whichsupport the casing 15. Upon the bottom of this compartmentwe secure a substantially Z-.shaped spring 20, that is adapted to engagethe shoeshaped end 21 of the operating-lever 16. Pivotally mountedwithinthe compartment 20 is a locking-lever 22, the angular end 23 ofsaid vlever being vadaptedto engage the spring20. s The upper end 'ofthe lever 22 is adapted to project through a slot 24, formed in thebottom and top of the casing 15, as

clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. The top of Vthecasing 15'is provided with a slot 25 to permit of 'the end ofthefoperatinglever 16 extending `therethrough, whereby it may be`conveniently manipulated. f'

To automatically actuate the switch-throw roo ing device, we haveprovided the siding-rail 3 with an enlarged slotted portion 26, in whichis mounted a plate 27, the upper edge of which is normally retainedslightly above 'the top of the rail 3 by springs 28 28, mounted upon asuitable base-plate 29 between the ties 4. The forward end and thebottom of the plate 27 are cut away, as indicated at 3l, to permit ofthe vertical movement of the plate, the cutaway portion 30 being adaptedto receive the rod 10, which passes through said rail. Upon the side ofthe enlarged portion 26 of the siding we journal a shaft 32, suitablebrackets 33 33 being secured to the ties 4 to provide bearings for saidshaft. The one armof one end of the shaft 32 is provided with a curvedarm 34, adapted to extend underneath of the track 3 and be engaged bythe plate 27 The opposite end of the shaft 32 is provided with abell-crank lever`35, the one arm 36 of said lever being pivotallyconnected to a bracket 37, carried by the rod'l'O, while the other armof said lever is adapted to engage an angular rod 38, pivotally mountedina bracket 39, carried within Ithe casing'S. rlhe upwardly-extendingend 40 of the rod 38 is connected by a rod, cable, or chain 41 to thelocking-lever 22. A spring 42 is employed to normally hold the tongues 66 in an open position, whereby the main'track will be maintained in aclear position. y

.Operationr We will assume that the train is moving in the direction ofthe arrow A upon the main track and it is desired to enter the siding.The train is provided with a suitable projection adapted to strike theoperating-lever 16 and move it forward, or the lever may be struck by atrainman, which, through the medium ofthe rod 17, bell-crank lever 9,and rod lO, moves' the switch-tongues 6 6, whereby the siding will beclear. As the train passes upon the siding'the wheels of therolling-stock engage the plate 27 and depress the same, this operationreleasing the mechanism which yhas locked the operating-lever 16 when itwas lirst operated. rlhis mechanism, as heretofore Stated, consists of aspring 20, which engages the shoe 21, and upon the plate 27 beingdepressed the rods 38 and 41 are actuated to operate the lever 22 torelease the lever 16. As the plate 27 is depressed during the entirepassage of the train over the same, said plate will be released afterthe last set of wheels has passed over the same, and the spring 42 ofthe 'tongues will return them to their normal position. We will nowassume that the train is upon the siding and desires to enter the maintrack in the direction of the arrowB. The wheels of the train engage theplate 27, depress the same, and, through the medium ofthe shafti32,lever 35, and rod l0, the tongues 6 6 are moved to clear the siding.These tongues are retained in this position as long as the plate 27 isdepressed by the wheels of the train; but when it is released by thewheels of the last car of the train the tongues 6 6 will be returned totheir normal position by the spring 42 clearing the main track. It willthus be observed that the locking mechanism contained within the casingl5 is only used to retain the switchtongues in a thrown position untilthe train reaches the same, the locking mechanism being releasedimmediately upon the train passing onto the siding. The main track isalways clear when trains are coming in the opposite direction from thearrow A, the tongues being normally held open by the springs 42.

It will be observed that the main operating mechanism of our improveddevice is covered by casings, and consequently protected from the forcesof nature which tend to deteriorate the material from which themechanism is constructed, and by so incasing the operating mechanism thechances of the mechanism being deranged or injured are reduced to aminimum.

1t is thought from the foregoing that the construction, operation, andadvantages of the herein-described switch-throwing device will beapparent without further description, and various changes in the form,proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacriiicing any of theadvantages thereof.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a switch-throwing device, of the character described, thecombination with a main track and siding-track, of pivotally-mountedspring-depressed switch-tongues connected together, casings located uponone sideol" said tracks, a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted in one ofsaid casings and connected to said tongues, an operating-lever pivotallymounted inthe other of said casings, and connected to said lever, aspring-retained plate mounted in one of said siding-tracks, a shaftmounted adjacentto said track and adapted to be actuated by said plate,said shaft being adapted to move said. tongues, means mounted within oneof said casings to lock said operatinglever in its adjusted position,and means mounted within the other of said casings and connected to thefirst-named means to release said means, substantially as described.

2. In aswitch-throwing device of the character described, thecombination with two pivotally-mounted switch-tongues adapted to beconnected together, of casings located in the vicinity of said tongues,a bell-crank lever mounted in one of said casings and connected to saidtongues, an operating-lever mounted IOO IIO

in the other of said casings and connected to said lever, meanscontained Within the lastnamed casing to lock said tongues in anadjusted position, means mounted adjacent to the other of said casingsto release said firstnamed means, and means to return said tongues totheir normal position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We ax our signatures in the presence of twoWitnesses.

RALPH RAI-USER. JAMES Gr. CUNINGHAM. FRANKLIN B. HALL.

' Witnesses:

ERNEST A. MGGEARY, FRED RAHISER.

